Firstly, the logo for Virgin Galactic is designed by Phillippe Starck. Link
Secondly, the interior for the Virgin Galactic ship is designed by SeymourPowell. Link

Thirdly, the Virgin Galactic Spaceport is to be designed by Foster and Partners. Link

It is clear that these are not anonymous designers, they are all high quality, known designers with respected track records. Design is therefore a prioritised discipline at Virgin Galactic, but not only design of tangible elements, I think that Virgin has managed to combine Service Design and Design leadership.

This got me thinking about the design of the user experience for space travel and managing expectations. It seems that the expectations Virgin Galactic want to satisfy are ones of fulfilling a science fiction dream. The designs are a mix of interiors from Kubricks 2001 and exteriors from Alien and Star Wars. Such experiences require careful design management and the focus upon design at the strategic level. Does this imply that Virgin Galactic are a design-centric company? I dont know, but I think that they are well on the way to this. We will only know when we get a chance to look at all of the touch-points and how well they are aligned towards the Virgin Galactic user experience.

But, WOW!, what a project. Service Design for Virgin Galactic. I would love to use the AT-ONE method for that one.

Update: I found this article, specifically discussing the expectations and user experience for space travel. Link This adds a new angle to the experience economy and tourism.